Just Come!
And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”…Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. [Mar 1:40-42 NASB]
According to the law, there was nothing that could be done for this leper. He had to stay in seclusion his entire life. Yet, he had heard that this man Jesus could do something about his situation. But like many of us, he is not sure the miracle he needs could happen. “If you are willing…” He is not sure he is good enough. Maybe, he thinks, Jesus has come for better people…not outcasts like him. Maybe, he thinks, Jesus has come for those nice church people who basically have their act together. He is saying,”I don’t know if you really WANT to help me since I am an outcast from society. I know you CAN do it, but I don’t know if you WILL do it.”
I believe most people think like that about His willingness to help them. Maybe the leper is not sure Jesus will help him because he has spent so much of his life being avoided. He has probably never been to the temple (church). He is not challenging Jesus, he just is so out of it he does not know of Jesus’ mercy.
But….he has heard that MAYBE, just MAYBE, things could be different. He did not come as a spiritual giant, but as an uncertain man. But he did come. And because he put action to what he believed, he got results. This Jesus that he had heard about felt something for the man. “Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him.”
Faith acts. True believing as the New Testament describes is proven by its action. What if the man had said, “I know this prophet COULD heal me, but I am not sure He WILL. I don’t want to be embarrassed (pride) ! I have already had enough misery in my life, I don’t need a public rejection on top of that (self pity).”
No, what he discovered was that Jesus could sympathize with him and show him mercy.
Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Really, what do you have to lose by going to Jesus Christ boldly about the life threatening issues you face? In humility and boldness, get to Him. He never thought you were perfect anyway. Just come!